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As the United States begins its earlier-than-usual shift into springtime, we take a look at many things horological around the world. (European Union countries will shift later this month and the shift varies for those countries outside the EU and US that participate in Daylight Saving Time.) While every attempt has been made to spare the reader a pun-laden exposé, try to forgive the occasional transgression.

We are most aware of time when the phone rings in the wee hours of the night. We first look at our bedside clock (as if it were the source of the noise?) and with a sudden sinking feeling we answer the phone, certain it's bad news. Sometimes all is well but for the future of the loved one in another part of the world who innocently proclaims, "I forgot about the time difference." In sleepy haste, we scribble a note: Take caller out of will.

He Who Defines the Terms

Lee Smolin, a theoretical physicist, professor of physics, and member of the Center for Gravitational Physics and Geometry at Pennsylvania State University, answers the question "What is time?" He can answer a lot of questions, to be sure, none of which I'm qualified to paraphrase here. If I've learned nothing else about horology, it is that the smartest people in the world know way more about it than I do. It's nice that they share.

Those driven to learn by data alone will no doubt find much to be had with Horology: The Index, as presented by world traveler and all-around very smart man, Fortunat F. Mueller-Maerki. Interested newcomers to horology may take interest in the clepsydra (0), an ancient device for measuring time by the regulated flow of water or mercury through a small aperture.

Who Doesn't Love a Convert?

Silent Warriors not only displays an easy-to-use visual reference (1) for converting standard time to military time, they've also included a brief explanation for those new to the conversion. Intuitor founder Tom Rogers shows us how and why a time of 12:11 converts to 8_1F on a hexclock (2).

Tool Time

Time is noted many times in a day on many a machine, appliance, and accessory. If you want to know the time on someone's watch in a different country (something our will-banished caller would do well to try), take a look at Steffen Thorsen's user-friendly World Clock. For visual reference, the different time zones can be seen as mapped out by World Time Zone.